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History: Josip Broz Tito & 25th of May - Youth Day "Dan Mladosti"

Tito’s Followers Mark His Birthday [25 May 12 ]
Despite the rain, communist era Yugoslav flags flew as the sounds of the traditional tune 'Druze Tito Mi Ti Se Kunemo' [Comrade Tito, We Pledge Our Allegiance] blared over loudspeakers. Hundreds of people from all over the Balkans cheerfully joined in the celebration, with many wearing badges and shirts with Tito's portrait.[1 ]

Josip Broz Tito - President of Yugoslavia from 14 January 1953 till 4 May 1980

25th of May - Youth Day "Dan Mladosti"

Youth Day (Dan Mladosti in Serbo-Croatian) was celebrated throughout Yugoslavia on May 25. This was also a official celebration of Josip Broz Tito's birthday. [Actually he is born on 07. May 1892]

In the weeks preceding the date youth ran a relay around the country and on his birthday Tito was ceremonially presented with the baton. The baton, which had passed through all major cities, contained a symbolic birthday message, ostensibly from the youth of the whole country.

Pionir with the Youth Baton

The Youth Baton ("Štafeta Mladosti" in Serbo-Croatian) was of a different design every year, and it usually represented achievements Yugoslavia made up to that point. A massive festival was held in Belgrade at the Yugoslav Army Soccer Stadium, and broadcasted live across the country. It included participation of close to 10,000 young men and women performing a spectacle similar to the opening ceremony of the Olympics.

Have to do list for turists: Tito's Mausoleum in Belgrade

Tito's mausoleum, known as the House of Flowers (open from 10am-6pm), is located on the grounds of the Museum of Yugoslav History, commonly referred to by its old name, the Museum of the 25th May, which remains to this day one ofBelgrade’s main attractions. Thirty years after his death, the mausoleum has not lost its fascination and the place still has the same intense atmosphere as it must have had thirty years ago.

Basic facts about Josip Broz Tito

Josip Broz Tito was born May 7, 1892 in Kumrovec, Croatia (May 25 according to official birth certificate) and died May 4, 1980. He was the leader of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia from 1945 until his death in 1980.

Tito with his dog Lux WWII

During World War II, Tito organized the anti-fascist resistance movement known as the Yugoslav Partisans.The partisans' struggle began with Tito's call to arms for the people of Yugoslavia with the slogan, "Death to Fascism, Freedom to the People!"

Later he was a founding member of Cominform, but resisted Soviet influence and became one of the founders and promoters of the Non-Aligned Movement [120 members 17 observer countries].

Map: Non-Aligned Movement [120 members 17 observer countries]

The NAM was officially formed in 1961, when the first gathering of the heads of state and movernment of 25 Third World countries was heldin Belgrade, Yugoslavia [now Serbia].

Things he did that took a lots of courage

Here is the list of things he did well by others:
- Under his leadership, there was no wars on Balkan for more than 40 years.

'NO!' to Stalin

- He was the one that said 'NO!' to Stalin. Stalin took it personally - for once, to no avail. "Stop sending people to kill me", Tito wrote. "If you don't stop sending killers, I'll send one to Moscow, and I won't have to send a second."
- With Tito's leadership, Yugoslavia became a founding member of the Non-Aligned Movement. In 1961, Tito co-founded the movement with Egypt's Gamal Abdel Nasser, India's Jawaharlal Nehru, Indonesia's Sukarno and Ghana's Kwame Nkrumah, in an action called The Initiative of Five (Tito, Nehru, Nasser, Sukarno, Nkrumah), thus establishing strong ties with third world countries.

Kwame Nkrumah and other co-founders of the Non-Aligned Movement: Nehru of India, Nassar of Egypt, Sukharno of Indonesia and Tito of Yugoslavia in late 1960

- Tito's greatest strength, had been in suppressing nationalist insurrections and maintaining unity throughout the country. It was Tito's call for unity, and related methods, that held together the people of Yugoslavia.

Tito with Jasser Arafat

Litle Known Facts on Tito's Yugoslavia
* Under Tito's leadership, Yugoslavia had fifth strongest army in Europe.
* Tito's administration did unite a country that had been severely affected by the war and successfully suppressed the nationalist sentiments of the peoples of Yugoslavia in favor of the common Yugoslav goal.
* Yugoslavia, for communist country, became by far the most religiously liberal among the socialist states, since Tito believed that oppression only makes religion spread.
* Tito supported a crucial bill about "self-management" (samoupravljanje): a type of independent socialism that experimented with profit sharing with workers in state-run enterprises - it was the basis of the entire social order in Yugoslavia.

Yugoslav a Convertible Dinar

* Yugoslavia was the first communist country to open its borders to all foreign visitors and abolish visa requirements.

Tito's Foreign Policy

Tito with Che Guevara

Tito was notable for pursuing a foreign policy of neutrality during the Cold War and for establishing close ties with developing countries. Tito's strong belief in self-determination caused early rift with Stalin and consequently, the Eastern Bloc. His public speeches often reiterated that policy of neutrality and cooperation with all countries is natural as long as these countries are not using their influence to pressure Yugoslavia to take sides. Relations with the United States and Western European nations were generally cordial.

Tito with Churchill

Yugoslavia had a liberal travel policy permitting foreigners to freely travel through the country and its citizens to travel worldwide. This was limited by most Communist countries.